5 Inspiring Spring Marketing Ideas

Posted on March 15, 2019 Written by

It’s been a snowy winter for most of the country, but spring is just around the corner and that can be a great start for your upcoming marketing messages! No matter where you market, adding a touch of spring can be a good way to spark your creativity or to catch the eye of your customers. Here are five of our ideas for creating a spring-themed marketing message for your business.

1. Embrace Color
If your winter was anything like ours, you probably saw a lot of snow, making spring a perfect time to embrace color in your promotions. Create a colorful display for your storefront, show off your colorful samples, or add a pop of color to the emails that you send your customers.

If you want a starting point for those colorful marketing messages, consider discussing the colorful print pieces you offer. Not only do colorful options like ASTROBRIGHTS® papers or full color print make your print offering vibrant, they give your customers a chance to bring color to their own promotions.

2. Make a Nod to Tax Season
Spring time is tax time, and that is an almost universal experience for your customers. That’s why working tax season into your marketing is one way to bring them through your door. This could be as simple as referencing tax season in your email newsletter or as complex as creating a tax-themed coupon or sale.

3. Celebrate Spring Cleaning
Another thing that might be top of mind for your customers is spring cleaning. Whether they want to polish up their business cards or get organized with new forms, folders and stamps, some products are a natural fit for your customer’s spring cleaning efforts. They might appreciate the reminder of the organizational options you offer or need to reorder now that spring is here.

4. Take Advantage of Good Weather
Once spring weather has warmed the weather, it’s a great time to expand your marketing efforts by bringing your focus outside. From participating in sidewalk sales to opening the doors of your storefront to let in the fresh air (and passers-by), with more people passing by in the warm weather you have more potential to make a sale. It might be a good time to invest in a nice window display, some freestanding signage for the sidewalk in front of your store, or

5. Thank People
A simple “thank you” can make a big impact, and spring is a great time to send them to your customers. Consider sending “thank you” notes to your top customers to thank them for braving the winter weather to do business with you.

Do you have any tips for promotions this spring? We’d love to see your suggestions in the comments below.

Filed Under: News

5 Ways to Use Social Media in Your Business

Posted on March 14, 2019 Written by

ways to use social media marketing to boost your personalized print businessIf you use social media in your personal life, you probably know many social media sites for the connections you make with friends and family. However, beyond those baby pictures and news articles you can also find a lot of potential to grow your business! Here are just a few ways that you can use social media to benefit your personalized print business.

1. Join In On A Weekly Hashtag To Emphasize Aspects of Your Business
One good way to keep yourself posting is to get involved in a weekly hashtag like #ThrowbackThursday. Just be sure to pick one that’s a good fit for your business. Does your print business have a long history? The aforementioned #ThrowbackThursday could be a great way to emphasize that history in a more casual way. #MotivationMonday, on the other hand, could be a great way to show off some inspiring print pieces that could motivate your customers to create something extraordinary for their business.

2. Keep Tabs on Your Competition
If your competitors are on social media, you have a unique opportunity ahead of you to keep an eye on what they’re doing. Are your competitors doing something particularly well, like handling customer service concerns in the semi-public setting of social media? Consider how you can improve your skills to better compete with them.

3. Show the More Human Side of Your Business
If you’re looking to create a more personal connection with your customers, social media can be a great way to show the human side of your business to your customers. It can help put a human face on your business whether you make posts to emphasize the employees your customers will meet at your business, use it as a chance to highlight the way your business helps out in the community, or simply interact with your customers in an informal way. This helps connect your customers emotionally with your business.

4. Create Better Customer Service
Many customer service interactions are going online, and having a social media presence allows you to create great customer service interactions in a space where those interactions could positively influence others. Just make sure you have well-prepared responses when you hit the “post” button, and if things start getting heated be ready to take things offline to talk to your customer.

5. Increase Brand Visibility
Brands large and small reach out to new customers on social media, and according to We Are Social the posts on a brand’s Facebook page reach an average of 10.7% more people than their current follower count. That’s a huge opportunity to make your business more visible!

What do you use social media for in your business? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News

Announcements vs. Postcards: Which Should Your Customer Use?

Posted on March 13, 2019 Written by

When your customer comes to you for help in creating a mailing for their business, they have a lot of print options to choose from. How can you help them narrow down their options to find the perfect print piece for their project? Here are a few questions to ask.

How Formal is Their Mailing?
This is probably the biggest deciding factor when your customer wants to create a piece to be mailed. Postcards are generally a more informal style of communication, which makes them a good fit for more informal events like real estate open houses or for in-store events like sales. The wide variety of stock options for your customer can create a look tailored to their mailing. ASTROBRIGHTS® papers, for example, are a great choice for energetic events or eyecatching sale promotions, while color core or extra thick stock are a good fit for adding a touch of professionalism.

Announcements, on the other hand, are a great fit for a wide variety of events—the real deciding factor is their design! They can create something colorful and casual for a fun event, or something a little more elegant for events that need additional polish. They can also use the elegant nature of an announcement to highlight the quality of new products or services that your customer is announcing.

Does Their Message Need to Make an Impact Quickly?
When your customer creates their mailing, it’s important to consider the person who will be reading that mailing. For some customers, a personalized envelope is a perfect touch of polish to a more formal communication, but it can also make that message easier to set aside and forget. This means that an announcement used for a mailing has to be chosen because it’s the right fit for your customer’s use.

Postcards, on the other hand, put nothing between the reader and the message your customer wants to get out. This makes them a good choice for communicating short and impactful messages like promotions for sales.

Are They Looking for Specialty Print?
Of course, your printed piece isn’t finished without print, and knowing your print options can also help your customer make decisions about which print product is right for them. Postcards allow your customers to get creative with their print using full color either in short or long run quantities. Full color print can be used to create simply colored minimalist images, or highlight photographs. They can also use spot color print on vibrant ASTROBRIGHTS® papers.

Announcements can be created using full color print for vibrant images, photographs, and more. They can also be printed  using spot color print for a stylish and simple announcement or a variety of specialty printing options like foil stamping or embossing that help add an elegant feel to invitations to banquets, galas, and other big events.

How do you help your customers know which print pieces are right for their next mailing? We’d love to see your tips and tricks in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Stationery

How to Write the Perfect Follow-Up Email

Posted on March 8, 2019 Written by

write the perfect follow up sales email for your personalized custom print businessMany times when you meet a new business connection, whether that person is a fellow entrepreneur or a potential customer, it can be a challenge to fit what you need to into that first conversation. You are busy, and so are they.

Enter the follow-up email!

The follow-up email is probably something that you’re already familiar with, and it’s more than merely a formality. It’s a chance to strengthen the business connection you’ve made and to move that conversation forward, so writing the perfect follow-up email is a great way to do that. Here are our steps to writing the perfect follow-up email.

Step 1: Know What You Want to Achieve
A follow-up email can help support a wide variety of different objectives, and knowing what you want to achieve is an essential starting place. Maybe you want to get more information or the answer to a question you’ve had since you last spoke. Maybe you want to arrange a meeting. Maybe you’re working to finalize a sale after your customer mentioned a purchase they wanted to make. Keep that objective in mind as you write.

Step 2: Jog Their Memory
Making sure that you and the recipient of your email are on the same page is essential, so be sure to begin your email with some context. Remind them of who you are and when you last talked, then be sure to remind them which point you are following up on. For example, if you met a prospective customer at a networking event you could say “I just wanted to touch base with you after meeting you last week at the South Central networking event …”

Be ready for them to not remember talking to you, though—and it’s okay if they don’t! If they don’t remember you, using specific details will help ensure that your follow-up doesn’t come across as a cold email technique.

Step 3: Explain Why You’re Emailing
If you had a previous conversation about a specific product in the last step, you might have already done this. If not, be sure to explain why you’re emailing. Did you discuss a product that you’re hoping to sell them? Did you mention that you would be happy to send them a digital catalog? Did they mention an upcoming brand update for which you have products to recommend? Take a moment to mention it.

Step 4: Include a Call to Action
So what’s next? Let your customer know. Ask them if they are interested in more information or whether you can schedule another conversation in the next week.

Step 5: Wrap it Up and Send!
Now that you’ve got the email written, it’s time to sign it and send it. Before you hit that “send” button, though, take a moment to read it through. You want to be sure that the email is short and to the point, and you want to make sure that it comes across as friendly and professional. After you’ve reviewed, send it their way.

How do you ensure that your follow-up emails are perfect? We’d love to see your tips and tricks in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News

Cannabis Labels Sales Set to Reach All-Time High

Posted on March 7, 2019 Written by

Perhaps few would have suspected it a generation ago, but the legalized use of marijuana, or cannabis, continues to grow through the United States. Currently, the medical use of marijuana is legal in 23 states, while use for both medical and recreation purposes is legal in an additional ten states. The initiative to legalize marijuana has created an extraordinary potential for sales. Forbes reports that worldwide sales of legalized cannabis are on target to hit $57 billion by 2027.

To be clear, U.S. law recognizes marijuana as the leaves, flowers, and seeds of the cannabis plant, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. But what does all this talk about marijuana have to do with labels? Everything. Regulatory, compliance, and warning labels for cannabis are required on all products. And with a multi-billion dollar industry, this translates into smokin’ hot opportunities for label sales in this budding industry!

Depending upon the regulations in a given state, the potential for compliance and warning labels can be huge. In 2018, marijuana dispensaries in California were mandated to have five distinct warning labels on every individual package of marijuana being sold.

  • A universal warning label with a marijuana leaf and an exclamation point inside a triangle.
  • A warning explaining that the products contained inside have not been tested according to new state laws.
  • Two government warnings—one for edibles, and one for other cannabis products. These labels alert users that the substance should be kept away from children and is only legal for those over 21, that they could be harmful to pregnant or breastfeeding women, and that caution is necessary when driving or operating machinery after use.
  • A warning label indicating that cannabis contains chemicals that might be cancer-causing.

Sound like a lot of labels? California isn’t the only state where labels are in high demand. Washington state currently requires a whopping nine labels on every product sold! And the requirements can and do change. This means dispensaries find themselves in need of new labels pronto in order to avoid getting into trouble with regulators.

Avoiding Hazy Information on Cannabis Products

Labels fall into two categories: information panels and primary panels. The primary panel on a product includes the name of the product, the cannabinoid content (the cannabis plant has over 480 natural components, of which 66 have been classified as “cannabinoids,” or chemicals unique to the plant), the item’s net weight, and batch number. They often bear a logo and aim to look appealing to customers on the shelf while not appearing too inviting. Regulations forbid any cannabis labels from mimicking candy or other products that might entice children.

Information panel labels, on the other hand, contain vital product information, including the company name and contact information, harvest date, “best used by” date, serving size, allergen information, nutritional information, instructions for use, as well as other important information. These labels must be thorough and follow individual state regulations.

Maureen Dowd, a New York Times columnist, wrote about a trip to Denver five years ago that included a sampling of a newly legalized cannabis candy bar. However, the candy bar lacked any information for usage. She nibbled a bit, only to find that nothing happened. She nibbled some more until she had unknowingly over-consumed the candy bar. What wasn’t made clear to Dowd on the shoddy and half-baked packaging was that the candy bar was intended to be cut into 16 servings. When the effects of the cannabis finally hit her, Dowd “lay curled up in a hallucinatory state for the next eight hours.” Clear labeling of Dowd’s candy bar certainly may have saved her the agony of waiting for the high to slowly wear off.

A Large Potluck of Products

Cannabis, both medical and recreational, comes in a number of different consumable forms. Some of the most popular include:

  • Smoking
  • Vaporizing
  • Medicated edibles, such as popcorn, crackers, lollipops, chocolate bars, and gummy bears
  • Tinctures or sublingual spray (squirted or sprayed under the tongue)
  • Transdermal patches
  • Topicals, including ointments, lotions, and sprays
  • Suppositories
  • Cannabis-infused beverages, including teas, smoothies, and juices

Again, all of these products require clear packaging and labeling. The relationship between manufacturers and labelers becomes a joint effort to market and package products according to regulations, ensuring proper and safe usage—clearly a jackpot opportunity for label sales!

Cannabinoid products are another huge market with the potential for increased label sales. Cannabinoids are products that contain CBD—cannabidiol—which is derived from the plant but does not contain the THC that causes the intoxicating effects of a marijuana high. The benefits of CBDs? Many people report feeling relaxed, and some swear by the natural health benefits of CBD supplements. CBD products are legal in all 50 states and are manufactured as candy, chocolates, syrups, lotions, gummies, vape products, soda, and even oil for pets, just to list a few. While these products don’t require the strict warning and compliance labels that cannabis products do, the number of CBD products available to consumers is growing like weeds, and all of them will need packaging and labeling.

Pipe Up and Snag Sales!

With a growing number of states legalizing cannabis, and a burgeoning market for CBD products, the potential to snag a piece of the label sales has never been easier. Reach out to manufacturers and dispensaries in your state to discuss how you can assist them with remaining compliant with required labels. Click here to find your state’s laws regarding label requirements on legalized cannabis products. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Label Works. We have the information and tools you need to ensure your potential cannabis label sale opportunities don’t go up in a puff of smoke!

Filed Under: News

The Long—And Short—of Post-it® Notes Orders

Posted on March 6, 2019 Written by

When your customers think about personalized printed Post-it® Notes, they probably think about notes printed in high quantities for promotional use. However, if your customers are looking for just a few Post-it Note pads, our short run quantities could be the perfect option! With full color printing, your customers can take advantage of the same personalization potential available in larger quantities.

Why Short Run?
One of the advantages of short run Post-it® Notes is that the lower quantities open up new possibilities. Your customers can use notes for a wider variety of uses when they have a wider variety of quantities available. And for you, short run Post-it® Notes also open up new possibilities for customer connections. Because you can offer low quantities of these classic sticky notes, you can work with a wider variety of customers and expand your customer connections.

Small Quantities, Big Possibilities
The quantities on short run Post-it® Notes might be small, but the possibilities are really big! As I mentioned, smaller quantities give your customers a chance to use these notes for a wider variety of uses.

Does your customer have a smaller business? Small quantities are a great fit for them! They can create notes for their office, perfectly-sized packs of promotional Post-it® Notes, and more.

For customers looking to create a promotional item for only their top customers or for only the attendees of an event, short run quantities could be the solution. Quantities range from 6 to 120, making it easy for your customer to choose a quantity that works for their audience.

Does your customer want to create a coupon for short-term spring sales? Not only do Post-it® Notes stick securely to the receipts that accompany a purchase, small quantities make it easy for your customer to print only as many notes as they need.

If your customer is looking for a perfect Post-it® Notes gift for their employees, short run quantities allow them to easily create personalized pads. They can create branded notes with their employee’s name for work anniversaries, holiday gifts, or simply to create a more personalized notepad for sales staff looking to make a personal connection with customers.

And if your customer simply wants to create personalized Post-it® Notes for personal use, short run quantities are perfect for that, too. Not only will these quantities better suit their budget for personal use notes, but smaller quantities are a better fit for everyday personal use. With quantities as low as six available, it’s easy for your customer to create a quantity of notes that is just right for them.

Ready to place an order? You can order short run Post-it® Notes quantities through our catalog, or in full color or spot color through Navitor.com.

How do your customers use short run Post-it® Notes quantities? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Stationery

5 People You’ll Meet at Networking Events

Posted on March 1, 2019 Written by

Whether you’re attending a networking event to connect with potential customers or you’re going simply to connect with other local professionals, talking to the right people is essential to making good connections and making the event a success. Here are five people you are almost sure to meet at your next networking event, along with our tips on talking more effectively to them. And if you find yourself relating to one of these people, consider how you could improve on your networking skills—after all, every event is a chance to become a more effective networker!

The Chatterbox
Some people like to talk, and that can be great! However, when you’re up against a Chatterbox you might find yourself stuck in a conversation when you want to move on to another event attendee. If you notice this happening, try to stop any new lines of conversation before they really get going. You might even consider bringing the chatterbox along with you so that you can both meet a new person.

Think you might be a Chatterbox? Make sure you’re listening to the other person as much as you are talking. When you give them time to talk, you’re also giving them plenty of time to exit the conversation so that both of you can move on to new conversations.

The Wallflower
This is the sort of person who might not be comfortable in the networking setting, and whether they are shy or simply unsure of who to approach the Wallflower is a figure at almost every event. However, taking a moment to talk to them could give you the chance to make a valuable connection. Just make sure you’re paying attention to their responses and be ready to end the conversation if it’s not working out for either of you.

The Tagalong
One of the best things about networking events is that they are a chance to meet people, but the Tagalong isn’t meeting those people themselves. Instead, they’re following you and meeting all the people you’re meeting. This might make the event easier for them, but it can limit your conversational opportunities. If they’re becoming a challenge, take a moment to be frank; tell them that you want to connect with others, and advise that they do the same.

The Complainer
Whether they’re complaining about work or about some people in particular, it can be tempting to join the Complainer in venting frustration. However, that negativity could make it hard to make your networking event a positive experience—and if other attendees overhear they might not want to spend time with you. When you notice the conversation taking a negative turn, it’s usually a good idea to steer it toward more positive subjects or to politely excuse yourself. After all, someone who prioritizes badmouthing people at an event is probably a connection that won’t benefit you in the long run.

The Me-First
We’ve all met someone who took every opportunity to make things about themselves and to talk about their wins, and the Me-First is that person. While you’re at this event to network and learn more about the people there, remember that this has to be a two-way street and you don’t have to spend your evening catering to the Me-First’s ego. If you’re having a hard time getting a word in edgewise, it’s okay to walk away.

Have you met these people at networking events you’ve attended? How do you make sure your networking event is a success? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, News

Bring Colorful Stocks and Substrates to Your Customer’s Print This Spring

Posted on February 28, 2019 Written by

yellow green business cards ASTROBRIGHTS stock colorful printWhether things are still snowy in your area or it’s already a warm day, spring is a great time for your customers to embrace color in their print order. Vibrant color can help bring eyecatching style to print for upcoming events, capture attention for spring sales, and might even be something that becomes a favorite for year-round use. And while every print piece is a chance to print a colorful image, colorful stocks are another great way to bring vibrant color to their upcoming print orders. Here are just a few of the products that allow your customer to embrace colorful stocks and substrates.

Business Cards
In the past few years, we’ve introduced a number of ways to bring color to add vibrant color to business cards using stock choice, and these stocks are a great way to bring an extra pop of color to your customer’s spring print orders. Consider using color core stock that coordinates with their logo to create a substantial business card for important upcoming business meetings, and vibrant ASTROBRIGHTS® papers are a good choice for business cards with allover color. Speaking of these vibrant stocks…

Announcements and Postcards
A lot of the stocks we’ve introduced to our business card selection have also joined the stock selection for announcements and postcards. ASTROBRIGHTS® stocks make for eyecatching postcards, and that makes these postcards a great fit for attention-grabbing promotions for spring sales. Color core stock, on the other hand, has a subtler look that can add a touch of unexpected charm to postcards and announcements.

Badges and Signage
Does your customer love the classic look of engraved badges and signage? They should consider using a colorful stock! Because engraving gives your customer a wide variety of stock options, it’s easy for your customer to choose a stock color that appeals to them.

Promotional Products
When your customer is preparing for an upcoming tradeshow or other event where they will connect with prospective customers, promotional products are a great addition to their print order—and those promotional products are yet another chance to add color! Most promotional products, from pens and pencils to bags and water bottles, are available in a wide variety of vibrant colors.

Do your customers love colored stocks and substrates? We’d love to hear more about the colorful print options they love in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Resources, Stationery

Which Informational Print Piece is Right For Your Customer?

Posted on February 27, 2019 Written by

Your customer’s spring and summer events are coming fast, and it’s time for them to prepare the print that they need to run tradeshow booths, mailing campaigns, and more. Your customer’s informational pieces—whether brochures, sales sheets, or postcards—need to be ready, and making their information more impactful starts with choosing the right product. Here are just a few of the questions you can ask to learn which informational print piece is best suited to your customer’s need.

How Much Information Do They Have?
The most important thing to consider is the amount of information that your customer wants to share. They might want to create an in-depth list of services available at their business, or they might want to illustrate only the must-know information about a new product. Knowing how much information they will need to include is a good way to narrow their options.

If your customer has a lot of information to share or wants to go into detail about a concept, then they’ll need enough space to let that information breathe. Brochures and sales sheets are a great choice, as are oversized postcards.

On the other hand, if your customer wants to focus on high-level information, a smaller print piece might be a better fit. Postcards, rack cards, and door hangers are a good option for these uses because they offer the same full color style but provide a more compact canvas for your customer’s information.

How Will It Be Distributed?
Once your customer knows what size their piece will need to be, they should consider how they will be distributing this information.

If your customer is going to be handing out the informational pieces in person, they have a lot of flexibility in their options. For settings where they will be handing out a large number of informational pieces—for example, if they want to create a piece for each product—they might want to focus on brochures or rack cards that will be easier to keep organized. If they want one big, splashy print piece, then a sales sheet will make a big impact at tables or booths.

If your customer intends to mail their informational piece, on the other hand, they want to consider how well each piece will mail. A postcard—whether traditionally-sized or oversized—is a great choice that is ready-made for mailing, but pieces like rack cards and trifold brochures are also a great choice because they are well-sized for mailing envelopes.

Do They Want to Get Creative?
We’ve focused mostly on traditional informational pieces, but there are creative options, too! When your customer wants to branch out from these more traditional pieces, there are a number of options they can consider. Magnets are available in a wide variety of different sizes and make a creative alternative to rack cards and sales sheets. For pocket sized informational pieces, consider business cards or trading cards. Door hangers, bookmarks, and announcements are other creative options.

Which informational print pieces do your customers love most? We’d love to see your suggestions in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Hosting an Event? Here are 5 Questions to Ask While You’re Planning

Posted on February 22, 2019 Written by

Hosting an event can be a great opportunity to show off your business. A lunch and learn can be a good way to educate your customers about new products or important concepts. An evening dinner could be a good way to make your top customers feel important. An open house could help bring in brand new customers and to build word-of-mouth buzz. However, to make your event effective, it’s important to ask yourself these important questions.

1. Who Is Your Target Audience?
Do you want to encourage your top customers to continue using your business? Do you want to create more sales by bringing in prospective customers? Knowing what audience you’re targeting for your event can help focus your plans and ensure that you’re talking to the right people.

2. What Do You Need?
Once you’ve decided on your audience, make a list of everything you’ll need. Do you need to rent a sound system for a lunch and learn? Do you need to send invitations to your customers? Do you need to prepare a talk? Do you need to have catering or book a venue? No matter what type of event you’re hosting, take some time to make a list of everything you need to do before the event can get started.

3. What Else is Going On?
Have you ever scheduled a trip, only to find out that there was a big event going on at the same time? You will want to avoid creating that kind of challenge for your customers, so it’s a good idea to consider other events that might cause an issue. This will help ensure that your customers don’t have to deal with excessive traffic or challenging parking because of another event in your area, and it helps ensure that they won’t have a conflict that prevents them from attending.

This isn’t just local, though. Consider whether there are out-of-town events that your customers will be attending that might make them unavailable for your event. For example, if you work largely with schools then you wouldn’t want to schedule your event on the same weekend as a state education conference.

4. What Are Your Limitations?
You want to host a great event, but it’s important to know what you can or cannot realistically do. If your schedule is tight, hosting an all-day event might be beyond what you’re able to do at the moment. If your budget is tight, a catered lunch might be more challenging than a coffee hour event. If you have a quick turn between planning and the event itself, you might have to keep the guest list small and the event itself simple.

5. How Are You Going to Get People Through the Door?
Getting people to attend an event is all about how you pitch it to them. If you want to bring in the community, marketing in a local paper could be a good option. If you want to bring in your top customers with a feeling of exclusivity, you might want to invest in an announcement to invite them to your event. And for some audiences, an invitation or marketing pitch might not be enough; you might need to offer food or freebies to get them interested. Whatever your audience, it’s good to plan how you will encourage them to be at your event.

Do you plan events at your business? How do you ensure that they are a success? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News
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